(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Seeking to clarify uncertainty for Division I college players, coaches and schools, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the NCAA are jointly asking a federal judge to extend his order prohibiting the NCAA from enforcing its Transfer Eligibility Rule until at least the end of this academic year.
An extension would allow athletes who have been sidelined by the rule to compete continuously through the winter and springs sports seasons without having to worry about their status, including redshirt eligibility, with the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
“We don’t want the college athletes to get caught in the middle of this court case,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “The joint motion filed today signifies our shared commitment to ensuring that sports seasons operate smoothly during the legal proceedings.”
Led by Yost, seven states are challenging the Transfer Eligibility Rule as part of an antitrust lawsuit filed recently in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. The rule essentially requires Division I athletes who transfer a second time to wait one year to compete.
On Wednesday, Judge John Preston Bailey granted the states a temporary restraining order forbidding the NCAA from enforcing the rule for 14 days and scheduled a hearing for Dec. 27 to decide whether that prohibition should continue until the case is decided.
If the judge grants the joint motion filed today, the Dec. 27 hearing would be unnecessary, and a trial date could be set for after the spring sports season ends.
“Let the kids play,” Yost said. “Let them compete.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Hannah Hundley: 614-906-9113
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